Physical Chemistry and Transition Elements | OCR A-Level Chemistry A (H432)

Physical Chemistry and Transition Elements

  • 101 questions
  • 7 subtopics
  • Module 5: Physical chemistry and transition elements
  • Component 01 and Component 03

The quantitative treatment of equilibrium with Kc and Kp, lattice enthalpy through the Born-Haber cycle and the enthalpies of solution and hydration, and entropy and Gibbs free energy as the test of whether a reaction is feasible..

It covers mole fraction, partial pressure and ICE tables, kc and Kp expressions, their units and calculations, what changes the equilibrium constant, and the reaction quotient, lattice enthalpy and the Born-Haber cycle, enthalpy of solution and hydration, and the effect of ionic charge and size, entropy and calculating entropy change and gibbs free energy and thermodynamic feasibility.

Sample questions from Physical Chemistry and Transition Elements

Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

  1. Mole fraction, partial pressure and ICE tables

    State the relationship between partial pressure, mole fraction, and total pressure.

    Show the answer
    Partial pressure equals mole fraction multiplied by total pressure: pₐ = xₐ × P_total.
  2. Mole fraction, partial pressure and ICE tables

    How are equilibrium moles determined in an ICE table calculation?

    Show the answer
    Calculate equilibrium moles by adding the initial amounts and the changes for each species.
  3. Kc and Kp expressions, their units and calculations

    Why are solids and pure liquids omitted from Kc and Kp expressions in heterogeneous equilibria?

    Show the answer
    Because their concentrations are constant and do not affect the equilibrium expression.
  4. Kc and Kp expressions, their units and calculations

    After writing the balanced equation, what must be written next when calculating Kc?

    Show the answer
    Write the Kc expression with products over reactants, each raised to their stoichiometric coefficients.
  5. What changes the equilibrium constant, and the reaction quotient

    Does adding a catalyst change the value of the equilibrium constant?

    Show the answer
    No, the equilibrium constant is unaffected by the presence of a catalyst.
  6. What changes the equilibrium constant, and the reaction quotient

    Explain why changing temperature causes both K and the equilibrium position to change.

    Show the answer
    When temperature changes, K changes to a new value, and the position of equilibrium shifts to establish concentrations or partial pressures that satisfy the new equilibrium constant.
  7. Lattice enthalpy and the Born-Haber cycle

    Which enthalpy term in a Born-Haber cycle represents the overall energy change for forming the compound from its elements?

    Show the answer
    The enthalpy of formation of the compound.
  8. Lattice enthalpy and the Born-Haber cycle

    Where does lattice enthalpy appear in a Born-Haber cycle?

    Show the answer
    As the enthalpy change for forming the ionic lattice from its gaseous ions, completing the cycle.

The 7 subtopics

One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.

Subtopic What it covers Questions
Mole fraction, partial pressure and ICE tables Recall questions on mole fraction and partial pressure, Dalton's law, and using an ICE table to reach the equilibrium amounts. 14
Kc and Kp expressions, their units and calculations Recall questions on writing each expression, homogeneous against heterogeneous equilibria, why solids and pure liquids are omitted, and deriving the units. 15
What changes the equilibrium constant, and the reaction quotient Recall questions on why only temperature changes K, what concentration, pressure and a catalyst do instead, and predicting the shift from Q against K. 17
Lattice enthalpy and the Born-Haber cycle Recall questions on the definition and sign of lattice enthalpy, the atomisation, ionisation and electron affinity terms, and the relationship around the cycle. 19
Enthalpy of solution and hydration, and the effect of ionic charge and size Recall questions on the three linked terms, why dissolving can be endothermic, and how ionic charge and radius affect both lattice and hydration enthalpies. 13
Entropy and calculating entropy change Recall questions on what entropy measures, the order of the three states, what a change in the number of gas molecules does, and calculating ΔS from standard entropies. 12
Gibbs free energy and thermodynamic feasibility Recall questions on ΔG = ΔH − TΔS, the condition for feasibility, and why a negative ΔG does not guarantee that a reaction is observed. 11
Physical Chemistry and Transition Elements is 101 of the 1,913 questions in the guide.Get the guide, £8

How the guide is worked

Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.

  1. Step 1 · Closed book

    Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.

  2. Step 2 · Open book

    Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.

  3. Step 3 · Closed book again

    Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.

Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.

Nearby sections

All 17 sections Guide overview

OCR A-Level Chemistry A Active Recall Guide

Every section, not just this one. 1,913 questions with their answers.

£8 GBP
Get the guide

Digital PDF, sent to the email address on your order.